“Head-of-wall” ceiling joints are the connection points existing between a building wall and the ceiling. Normally, it is necessary to provide space between the top of the wall and the ceiling to allow for movement of the building. However, the open space or gap at the top of the wall can be a location where fire, smoke and heat spread. In order to contain the spread of smoke and fire, a fire resistant material (e.g. mineral wool) is sometimes placed in the space and a fire-resistant coating sprayed onto the exposed mineral wool. If the space or gap is small enough, a fire-resistant caulk may be used to help fill the gap. These techniques are believed to have disadvantages. For example, these methods are often labor intensive and therefore can be expensive.
Attempts have been made to include fire-blocking materials in the head-of-wall assembly itself. An example of a fire block material sometimes used is intumescent material. Intumescent material typically expands up to many times its original size upon exposure to heat and/or fire and form a char that is fire resistant. However, past attempts at including fire-blocking materials in the head-of-wall assemblies are believed to have disadvantages. For example, various past attempts to add intumescent materials to head-of-wall assemblies have resulted in rubbing between the wallboard and the intumescent material, causing the intumescent material to wear-off or become dislodged.
It should be understood that the above-described features, capabilities and disadvantages are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope or subject matter of the appended claims or those of any related patent application or patent. Thus, none of the appended claims or claims of any related application or patent should be limited by the above discussion or construed to address, include or exclude each or any of the above-cited features, capabilities or disadvantages merely because of the mention thereof herein.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved systems, articles and methods useful in connection with reducing the spread of fire, smoke or heat between adjacent rooms at the head-of-wall ceiling joints having one or more of the attributes or capabilities described or shown in, or as may be apparent from, the various portions of this patent application.